The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his service-connected degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine and left lumbar radiculopathy, as well as his claim for a TDIU. The evidence did not meet the criteria for higher evaluations under the applicable rating schedule.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s symptoms were evaluated against the criteria set forth in the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities, but they did not meet the requirements for higher ratings based on the degree of disability and functional impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative Disc Disease of the Thoracolumbar Spine, Left Lumbar Radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 22, 2017
- Citation
- 1741756
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1741756.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection were dismissed as the claims have been fully granted with effective dates assigned.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for PTSD, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine.
- Granted
The Veteran's TBI, GERD, headaches, ED, right knee arthritis, left hip strain, and right hip strain are all granted service connection.,Service connection for degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine is also granted as secondary to right knee arthritis.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to procedural issues and the need for additional medical examinations. The claims are being returned to the agency of original jurisdiction (AOJ) for further development.
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